The Day Before You Came
by Sakura aka L-sama no Miko
Summary: A short 'n' sweet one-shot starring everyone's fave flamboyant shinigami. Inspired by the ABBA song of the same name.


The Day Before You Came

A Kuroshitsuji One-Shot

by Sakura (aka L-sama no Miko)

I don't own the lyrics to "The Day Before You Came" by ABBA, I'm just borrowing them for fic purposes.

_I must have left my house at eight because I always do_

_My train, I'm certain, left the station just as it was due_

_I must have read the morning paper going into town_

_And having gotten through the editorial, no doubt I must have frowned_

Grell Sutcliff checked himself in the mirror for the hundredth time, making sure his make up and hair were perfect. Once he was satisfied, the crimson haired shinigami left his tiny yet cozy flat and headed for the great Shinigami Library of Great Britain.

Seeing that he was earlier than usual, Grell stopped to sit on a bench in the only other area in that part of the shinigami world, the park. After finding the beauty of the well kept foliage rather boring, he took out a copy of the London Times that he had managed to smuggle back the day before.

Half-way through the paper, the redhead sighed and frowned. It was the same old thing. This nobleman was marrying that noblewoman, another was holding yet another soiree, etc., etc.

_I must have made my desk around a quarter after nine_

_With letters to be read and heaps of papers waiting to be signed_

_I must have gone to lunch at half past twelve or so_

_The usual place, the usual bunch_

_And still on top of this I'm pretty sure it must have rained_

_The day before you came_

Grell sighed. He was late again and Will, being Will, hadn't let him leave his superior's office until the stern shinigami had been sure his lecture and message had gotten across. It wasn't that Grell hated being a reaper, it was just that his life was beginning to feel, well for lack of a better term, lifeless. Each and every day he got up, fixed his lovely long hair and make up, went to work then had lunch.

He didn't mind his fellow shinigami much. They were all decent people, not to mention Ronald was a cutie. Even if the laid back blond was a notorious flirt. However, the flamboyant reaper found their gossip and conversation to be just as boring as the mortals' newspapers.

_I must have lit my ninth cigarette at half past two_

_And at the time I never noticed I was blue_

_I must have kept on dragging through the business of the day_

_Without really knowing anything, I hid a part of me away_

After lunch was more work - out in the field. Grell would usually take his time and drag his feet while out and about in the mortal realm for he loved to explore the latest fashion and food fads as well as the latest in books, particularly romances. But today, he went through his quota with more speed and less enthusiasm. It wasn't because of the rain, or the fog. The redheaded shinigami simply felt no desire to remain and goof off as was his want.

He'd lived for so long now, and there practically wasn't anything thing to see, even though mortals were coming up with more and more new innovations almost daily now. Grell sighed, then opened a portal back to his world to work on the never ending stacks of paper Will kept sending his way. Said superior gave him a quizzical look as he emerged - Grell was **never** back so early - but said nothing, content to let his underling go on his merry way.

_At five, I must have left, there's no exception to the rule_

_A matter of routine, I've done it ever since I finished school_

_The train back home again_

_Undoubtedly I must have read the evening paper then_

_Oh yes, I'm sure my life was well within its frame_

_The day before you came_

_Must have opened my front door at eight o'clock or so_

_I'm sure I had my dinner watching something on TV_

_There isn't a single episode of Dallas I didn't see_

At the end of his shift, Grell for the tiniest moment wavered on sneaking back to London once more to get some of the exotic food a Chinaman named Lau had been selling to go to the eager and curious citizenry of the great city. But he decided against it just as quickly, even though this Lau was intriguing in an exotic kind of way and the girl at his side was certainly a beauty.

However, the redheaded shinigami did decide to sneak one of the books from the Library. It had contained the cinematic record of his most favorite and beloved playwright. Grell in his heart of hearts would always be an actress. The simple and rather plain book was beginning to show signs of wear since he'd plucked it off its shelf so many times.

Will had once asked him about it, the strict death god knowing of Grell's obsession for all things theatrical. The crimson haired shinigami had just sheepishly grinned at his superior all the while ignoring the man's lecturing and threats of punishment. He** loved** that book and nothing was going to keep him from enjoying its contents.

_I must have gone to bed around a quarter after ten_

_I need a lot of sleep and so I like to be in bed by then_

_I must have read a while_

_The latest one by Marilyn French or something in that style_

_It's funny but I had no sense of living without aim_

_The day before you came_

_And turning out the light I must have yawned_

_And curled up for yet another night_

_And rattling on the roof, I must have heard the sound of rain_

After a meager dinner provided by the Shinigami realm - Will had deducted his pay yet again - and engrossing himself in the cinematic record he'd appropriated, the crimson haired man crawled into his perpetually unmade bed. What was the point of making it if there was no one to see let alone share it with?

Grell gave a forlorn sigh, knowing yet again he'd not be able to sleep. He glanced over to the night stand and noticed a book and suddenly remembered he'd gotten it from a mortal bookstore a few days ago. He'd yet to read it since he was either too tired from reaping and paper filing or just not in the mood for anything new. In fact he'd been in a bit of a funk since he'd bought the book.

Deciding he'd might as well at least glance through a few pages, Grell reached over and picked up the shiny, newly bound book. He remembered the shop keeper telling him it was a translation of a new play by some Belgian, Maeter-something or rather. Grell hadn't been bothering with the names of mortals lately. Why even remember the name if it wasn't on the "to die list"?

Several hours later found one Grell Sutclliff fast asleep, still reclining against the headboard; his body listing off to one side slightly and his glasses askew upon his face and the eagerly devoured copy of 'Princess Maleine' lying still open on the shinigami's lap. If anyone were there to see, they'd barely be able to make out the tracks of tears upon the slumbering death god's cheeks.

Little did the redhead know the very next day was going to be a rather momentous one. One that would change his currently humdrum life for all eternity. Had he had, Grell most certainly would have made sure he'd fallen asleep in a much more comfortable position.

_The day before you came_

~Owari~


End file.
